Ironing-machine.



W. B. KEIGHLEY.

IRONING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED $11121. 27, 1910.

1 $198,266, Patented May 26, 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

fgl.

W. B. KEIGHL-EY.

IRONING MACHINE.

Arruoulon FILED SEPT. 27, 1910.

Patented May 26, 191% 5 SHEETS-15331 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO WASHINGTON. nvc.

W. B. KEIGHLEY.

IRONING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27, 1910.

1,098,266. Patented May 26, 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET s. 8

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, DH;

W. B. KEIGHLBY. IRONING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27, 1 910.

1,098,266. Patented May 26, 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0.,WASHINC\TON. D. 6-

W. B. KEIGHLEY.

IRONING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27, 1910.

1,098,266. PatentedMay26,1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET s.

fw .865; a FQ ZZ W Z; a, W mm May 7/ COLUMBIA PLANOGRaPl-lCO..WASHINGTON. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

WILLIAM B. KEIGI-ILEY, 0F VINELAND, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THEKEIG-I-ILEY COMPANY, OF VINELANI), NEW JERSEY, A. CORPORATION OF NEWJERSEY.

IRONING-MACI-IINE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. KEIGH- LEY, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Vineland, Cumberlandcounty, New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements inIroning-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide a machine of improvedconstruction whereby it shall be possible to rapidly iron the variousparts of a shoe requiring this particular operation; the construction ofthe for ironing a shoe as above indicated, shall,

in addition, possess one or a number of attachments wherebysimultaneously with the ironing the various parts of the sole edge maybe burnished and set and the welt indented.

I further desire to provide a machine which shall combine a creasefinishing and ironing device, capable of operation either with orwithout asole edge burnisher.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shoe ironing machinewith a number. of attachments, any one of which may be moved to aposition to operate on a shoe simultaneously with the iron; theinvention also contemplating novel means for rapidly adjusting theseattachments.

I further desire to provide an ironing machine which shall include meansfor conveniently applying wax or grease to a shoe prior to itsengagement by the iron, as Well as means for cleaning the shoe after ithas been ironed.

I also desire to provide a novel form of automatically adjustable ironfor use in a machine having the above characteristics.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 27, 1910.

' Patented May 26, 1914. Serial No. 584,078.

These objects and other advantageous ends I secure as hereinafter setforth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figurel, is a side elevation of a machine constructed according to myinvention; Fig. 2, is a front elevation, partly in section, of themachine shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, is a horizontal section on the line13-13, Fig. 1; Fig. 4, is an enlarged vertical section on the line AA,Fig. 2; Fig. 5, is a vertical section on the line CC, Fig. 3; Fig. 6, is

a side elevation of one of the irons and its associated mechanismforming part of my invention; Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary sideelevations similar to Fig. 6, showing the various attachments, used withthe iron, in their operative positions; Fig. 9, is a vertical section onthe line DD Fig. 5, although it illustrates, in addition, springs forholding the elements of the iron in the lower position, and Fig. 10, isa side elevation of the structure carrying the indenting 1 andburnishing wheels.

In the above drawings, 1 represents a frame preferably in the form of anopen casting having rearwardly projecting brackets 2 adjacent its upperportion; these being provided with bearings for a shaft 3 carrying. fastand loose pulleys 4t and 5 with a driving pulley 6. The lower part ofthe frame has bearings for a shaft 7 on which are fixed three pulleys,one connected through a belt 8 with a pulley 6, and the others connectedthrough belts 9 and 10 with pulleys 11 and 12 respectively. Of

these latter pulleys, the first is fixed to a shaft 13 mounted inbearings on the top portion 14: ofthe frame, while the other is fixed toa shaft 15, likewise supported in bearings on a structure 70 mounted onthe forward part of the top of the frame and capable of verticaladjustment to vary the height of the apparatus carried by it.

Inasmuch as the machine illustrated is designed to employ two workmen,it is provided with two complete equipments of grease or wax applying,ironing, and polishing apparatus, and although in describing the variousparts reference is made to .but a single one of these equipments, it isimmaterial whether the machine as actually made is provided with asingle or a duplicate outfit.

The shaft 13 has on each end a polishing or cleaning wheel 16constructed and mounted in any desired manner, and in addition isprovided with a grease or wax applying wheel 17 supplied with wax orgrease from a cup or retainer 18. This latter is mounted on a bracket 19projecting from the side of the frame 1 and is provided with anadjustable plunger controlled by a hand wheel 20 whereby material may beforced from it directly onto the wheel 17. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3,each end of the shaft 15 has fixed to it an eccentric 21 on which ismounted a rectangular block 22, free to move up and down in alongitudinally movable slide 23 mounted in suitable guideways 24:carried onthe upper part 14; of the frame; the arrangement being suchthat the revolution of the shaft 15 with its eccentric causes areciprocation of the slide 23 toward and from the front of the machine.

The arrangement of parts is such that the two eccentrics 21 areequidistant from the pulley 12 and are set on the shaft 15 opposite toeach other. Each of the slides 23 has connected to its front end anextension 25 to which is pivoted a bracket 26, and the two brackets arein line with each other so as to support a bar 27 extending transverselyacross the front of the machine. On each end of this bar is mounted aniron 28 consisting of a casting 29 on which are mounted a series ofparallel, substantially U-shapcd ironing elements 30, preferably of theform and construction shown in Figs. 5 and 9. Each of these elements ishighly polished on its exterior edges and has inward extensions restingupon and supported by suitably formed shoulders on the casting 29. Thislatter extends longitudinally through the various elements and these areso designed as to have a limited vertical movement on said casting;being retained thereon by an end plate 31.

By means of a bracket 32 mounted on the bar 27, I support a fuel supplypipe 33 connected to a flexible conduit 3a; the ends of this pipeextending respectively into the two irons 28 where they are providedwith suitable burners for heating the same. The upper part of each ironcasting 29 has bearings for the support of a spindle 35, which, as shownin Fi s. 5 and 6, is made in two parts connected by a universal joint36; one of these parts being vertically movable to a limited extent inits bearing, around the joint 36 as a center. This portion of the shaft,however. is normally held toward the iron by a spring actuated plunger37, and carries on its projecting end a structure 38 having three armswhich in the present instance are at right angles to each other, as

illustrated in Fig. 10. On one of these arms is mounted an indentingwheel 39 and a sole edge burnishing tool 1O; this latter being removablyheld to its arm by a spring catch tl and the indenting wheel beingsimilarly held by a spring catch 42. Said wheel, however, is revolublycarried by a block 43 held by the catch l2 to a slide 14, movable on itssupporting arm relatively to the tool l0, toward and from the shaft 35,so that a shoe brought into engagement with the indenting wheel may becaused to move said wheel bodily toward the shaft to bring the edge ofthe shoe sole into operative engagement with the edge burnishing tool40. Moreover, the structure 38 is so mounted on its shaft 35 as to bringthe indenting wheel immediately adjacent the end of the iron 28 so thatthe shoe engaged by said iron may be held in such positions that thewheel 39 will act to indent its welt, while the tool 10 acts on the edgeof its sole. As shown in Fig. 7, another one of the arms on thestructure 38 is provided with a tool 4P5 removably held to it and soconstructed as to be capable of burnishing the relatively thin edge ofthe sole immediately in front of the heel. Between this tool and the endof the iron, I mount a plurality of rings as of such diameters andshapes of edge that they are capable of conforming to the crease andconvex portion of a shoe immediately adj acent the sole and just infront of the heel. These rings are carried by a bracket 17 fixed to thehub of the structure 38 and are all mounted on a screw attached to saidbracket so as to be free to move inde pendently of each other toward andfrom said screw for a limited distance in order to conform to thesurface of the shoe engaged. These various rings as well as the end ofthe bracket 47, are so proportioned and arranged as to be capable ofbridging the space between the end of the iron 28 and the burnishingtool 45. The third arm of the structure 38 likewise carries a tool asfor burnishing the edge of the heel of a shoe and has mounted betweensaid tool and the adjacent edge of the iron 28 an edge setting wheel 49designed to act upon that portion of the shoe immediately adjacent theheel.

For turning and holding any one of the arms of the structure 33 inposition to cooperate with the iron, I provide the mechanism shown inFigs. 1 and 1. This consists of a ratchet wheel fixed to the shaft 35preferably on Or adjacent that end thereof distant from the structure38. As shown in Fig. 4, this ratchet wheel is provided with fourperipheral notches with which cooperate a pivoted pawl 51 and a slidablepawl 52, both suitably mounted on the iron supporting structure. Thelatter of these is normally pressed toward the ratchet wheel 50 by aspring 53 and has a projection in the form of a roller 54 placed to beengaged by a cam 55. The free end of the pawl 51 is normally held towardthe ratchet wheel by a spring 56.

The cam 55 is carried by and pivotally connected to a pair of arms 57and 58, of which the first is loosely mounted upon the bar 27, while thesecond is likewise loosely mounted on the shaft 35, the proportioningand arrangement of the parts being such that the cam 55 is movedparallel to itself by the swinging of these arms on their supportingmembers. Said cam is provided with a curved surface, which, as shown inFig. 4, is designed to force outwardly the roller 54 with the pawl 52when said cam is moved downwardly, as by the operation of a treadle 59connected to it through a rod 60 and a link 61. For returning the cam toits elevated position, and maintaining the treadle raised, I provide aspring 62 acting upon the rod 60 as shown in Fig. l. The arm 58 projectsnot only toward the cam 55, but also in the opposite direction and haspivoted to it a third pawl 63 normally held toward the ratchet wheel 50by a spring 64.

Under operating conditions power is applied to the pulley 4 and throughthe belt 8, shaft 7 and belts 9 and 10, the two shafts 13 and 15 areturned at a suitable speed. The waxing wheels 17 as well as thepolishing or cleaning wheels 16 are thus turned, and in addition the twoslides 23 arerapidly reciprocated through the blocks 22 and theeccentrics 21. As a consequence the opposite ends of the bar are rapidlyreciprocated and with them the irons and other devices carried by theiron supporting structure. The shoe to be finished is first providedwith a coating of wax, grease or otherdesired material by being appliedto the wheel 17, which is supplied with said material from its cup 18.The iron is kept heated by burning fuel supplied to its interior throughthe pipes 34 and 33, though it is obvious that other means may beemployed. The forepart of the shoe is then applied to one of the irons,which is thus heated, and if it be assumed that the structure 38 is insuch position that the indenting wheel 39 and burnishing tool 40 areimmediately adjacent the end of the iron 28, it will be seen that therapid oscillation of the bar 27 imparts to the elements 30 of the iron arapid reciprocating movement in parallel vertical planes; similarlymoving the indenting wheel 29 and the burnishing tool 40.

'If the forepart of the shoe be pressed up against the iron so as tobring the edge of the sole into engagement with the tool 40, and if itbe likewise moved toward the iron so as to bring the surface of the weltinto engagement with the indenting wheel 39,

said indenting wheel will be moved upwardly relatively to the burnishingtool 40 and both of these members will likewise be moved upwardlyrelatively to the iron until certain of the adjacent elements 30 of saidiron come into engagement with the surface of the toe or other part ofthe front of the shoe and move relatively to each other so to conform toits surface. The rapid reciprocation of the iron, indenting wheel, andtool 40 thus causes the first of these parts to iron or smooth the partto which it is applied while the indenting wheel 39 is moved back andforth over the welt and indents it or smooths indentations previouslymade, in the desired manner. Simultaneously the tool 40 burnishes orpolishes the edge of the sole, the three operations noted being thuscarried out in the time hitherto necessary to perform one of them.

After the fore part of the shoe has been operated on, the treadle 59 isdepressed, thereby pulling downwardly the cam 55. It will be understoodthat previously the structure 38 with the shaft 35 has been held fromturning by reason of the engagement of the ratchet wheel 50 by the pawl52, so that the first action of the cam 55 is made to unlock saidratchet wheel by causing this pawl to be pulled away from the wheelthrough the roller 54. Said action occurs during the first part of thedownward movement of the cam 55, after which the pawl 63 engages one ofthe notches in the ratchet Wheel 50 and, as the cam continues to movedown, turns said ratchet wheel through an angle of 90, thereby alsoturning the shaft 35 and the structure 38 with its attached parts. Owingto its mounting and construction, the pawl 51 presents no opposition tothis rotation of the ratchet wheel, but after this has made a 90movement, drops into another of the notches thereof under the action ofits spring 56. Thereafter the release of the treadle 59 permits the cam55 to return to its original elevated position under the action of thespring 62, thereby drawing the pawl 63 idly over the ratchet wheel andfinally permitting the pawl 52 to move into engagement with another oneof the notches of said wheel and under the action of its spring 53 againlock it in position. By this turning of the structure 38 the rings 46and tool 45 are brought adjacent the end of the iron 28 and thereafterthe shoe may be again presented to said iron, whereupon the centralportions of the sole are burnished and the adjacent portions of theupper are finished or ironed in the desired manner; the various rings46, as well as the elements of the iron, being as noted, free to move toa slight extent relatively to the edge burnishing tool 45 so as toaccommodate themselves to and evenly bear upon the contour of thesurface of the upper. Another depression of the treadle 59 causes asecond 90 movement of the structure, thereby bringing the tools 48 and49 adjacent the end of the iron 28, so that a third presentation of theshoe to said iron causes the heel portion of the upper to be smoothed orironed, and the edge of the sole to be properly shaped or set, as wellas burnished or polished. By again turning the structure 38 through 90,one of its arms may be caused to project vertically upward while theother two extend horizontally in opposite directions, under whichconditions any desired portion of the upper of a shoe may be presentedto the iron and quickly and thoroughly operated on thereby in thedesired and required manner. Thereafter, by properly presenting thefinished shoe to the wheel 16, the wax and other foreign material may bequickly removed and the necessary polish given. Another depression ofthe treadle 59 will again bring the indenting wheel 39 and the tool toadjacent the end of the iron, so that the machine is in condition foroperation on another shoe.

From the above description it will be seen that by my machine it ispossible to simultaneously perform a number of operations which hithertohave been necessarily carried out separately, while in addition by meansof my improved iron, the surface of the shoe may be given the necessaryfinish and smoothing more rapidly and satisfactorily than hitherto. Ifthe machine be built as shown, so as to have duplicate sets of apparatuson its two shafts 13 and 15, the floor space required for a givencapacity is greatly diminished and the efiiciency of the apparatus ismaterially increased.

Under certain conditions the elements 30 of the iron may be yieldinglyheld in their lower positions by means of springs 73 as shown in Fig. 9;these acting with gravity or against the same, depending on the positionof the iron, but capable of yielding sufliciently to permit the variouselements 30 to conform to the shape of the shoe acted on. Said springs,which may be omitted if de sired, are preferably formed of short wiresfixed to the elements 30 and curved as shown so as to engage the spindleimmediately above them.

It is obvious that many different forms of tool may be used in place ofthose illustrated at 40, 45 and 4:8, as for example one of these toolsand its cooperating parts may be constructed to finish the heel seat andcrease of a regular heel shoe.

I claim:

.1. The combination in an ironing machine of a supporting st1."ucture;an iron mounted thereon and made in a number of relatively movableparts; a shoe finishing too-l mounted adjacent said iron and adjustablein a line substantially parallel to the line of movement of the parts ofthe iron; with means for actuating said iron and said tool.

2. The combination in an ironing machine of a supporting structure; aguideway thereon; a slide operative in the guideway; an iron consistingof a bar pivoted to the slide; a series of substantially parallelU-shaped elements loosely mounted on the bar; and means forreciprocating the slide.

3. The combination in an ironing machine of a supporting structure; aniron mounted thereon and made in a plurality of independently movableparallel sections free to adjust themselves to the contour of a shoe;means for vibrating said iron; with means for heating said sections.

4. The combination in an ironing machine of a supporting structure; aniron mounted thereon; a plurality of tools mounted adjacent one end ofthe iron in position to act upon a shoe while it is being operated on bythe iron and yieldingly supported so as to be bodily movable relativelythereto; with means for vibrating the iron.

5. The combination in an ironing machine of a supporting structure; aniron mounted thereon; a plurality of tools mounted adjacent one end ofthe iron in position to act upon a shoe while it is being operated on bythe iron; with means for vibrating the iron; said tools being bodilymovable relatively to the iron.

6. The combination in an ironing machine of a supporting structure; aniron mounted thereon; a plurality of tools mounted adjacent one end ofthe iron in position to act upon a shoe while it is being operated on bythe iron; with means for actuating the iron, said tools being bodilymovable relatively to the iron and one of said tools being free to movebodily rela tively to the other.

7. The combination in an ironing machine of a supporting structure; aniron mounted thereon; means for actuating said iron; an indenting wheelmounted adjacent one end of the iron; and a sole edge finishing toolmounted adjacent the indenting wheel in position to co-act therewith andwith the iron to simultaneously act on a shoe.

8. The combination in an ironing ma chine of a supporting structure; aniron mounted thereon; means for actuating said iron; an indenting wheelmounted adjacent one end of the iron; and a sole edge finishing toolmounted adjacent the indenting wheel; said tools being bodily movablerelatively to the iron to permit of a. shoe being simultaneously engagedby them and by said iron.

9. The combination in an ironing machine of a supporting structure; aniron mounted thereon having actuating means and composed of a number ofindependently movable sections; with a sole edge finishing tool and anindenting wheel mounted adjacent one end of the iron and both bodilymovable relatively to said iron to permit a shoe to be simultaneouslyengaged by them and by the iron.

10. The combination in an ironing machine of a supporting frame; an ironmounted thereon having actuating means; an adjustable supportingstructure mounted adjacent the iron; with a plurality of tools carriedby said structure, each capable of bodily movement into position tocooperate with the iron so as to engage a shoe simultaneously therewith.

11. The combination in an ironing machine of a supporting frame; an ironmounted thereon having actuating means; an adjustable supportingstructure mounted adj acent the iron; a plurality of tools carried bysaid structure, each capable of movement into position to cooperate withthe iron so as to engage a shoe simultaneously therewith; with means forshifting the position of said structure to change the tool adjacent theiron.

12. The combination in an ironing machine of a supporting frame; an ironmounted thereon having actuating means; a supporting structure mountedon the frame; a plurality of tools carried by said structure; means formoving the structure at will to bring any of its tools into positiontoengage a shoe simultaneously with the iron; with means for locking thesaid structure in a given position.

13. The combination in an ironing machine of a frame; a bar having ironsat its opposite ends each made in a plurality of independently movablesections with means for oscillating said bar to simultaneously move theirons in opposite directions.

14. The combination in an ironing machine of a bar; an iron mountedthereon; a revoluble structure carrying a plurality of shoe finishingtools and also mounted on said bar; said structure being placed topermit of any of said tools being moved into an operative positionadjacent one end of the iron; with means for reciprocating the bar.

15. The combination in an ironing machine of a supporting structure; aniron mounted thereon; means for vibrating said iron; a wheel forapplying material to a shoe; and a cleaning wheel adjacent said iron.

16. The combination in an ironing machine of a supporting structure; ashaft thereon having two eccentrics; members movable in oppositedirections by said eccentries; a bar connected to said members; and aniron carried by said bar.

17. The combination in an ironing machine of a supporting structure; ashaft thereon having two eccentrics; members movable in oppositedirections by said eccentrics; a bar connected to said members; and aniron carried at each end of said bar.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WVILLIAM B. KEIGI-ILEY.

Witnesses:

EARLE W. CUNNINGHAM, A. G. MAVETH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

